Improved chemical fire-engine



NITED STATES PATENT C` EEICEo R. LAPHAM AND G. CLARK, JR., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED CHEMICAL FIRE-ENGINE.

Specification formingl part of Letters Patent Nr. 65,2110, dated Mayji, lrG?.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, RUFUS LAPHAM and GEORGE CLARK, Jr., both of Boston, in the county of Su'olk and State of Massachusetts, have made certain Improvements in Chemical Firelngines; and we do hereby declare that the following description is exact, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of our invention consists in constructing fire-engines with two or more Vessels or compartments for containing chemicals in solution, which, when forced together by means of pumps and pipes, shall generate carbonicacid gas in their passage to and upon the tire, for the purpose of extinguishing it.

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use our invention, we will proceed to de scribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents an external View of a nre-engine; Fig. 2, a sectional view-made like any common lire-en gine, except the two Vessels or compartments A and E, and the pipes P and P leading therefrom.

In our fire-engine the usual reservoir for containing the water is divided into two compartments by a partition, O. In each of these compartments is a force-pump, C and C, to draw the contents up through the valves V and V', and force the same, through the pipes P and P', into the common Vessel D, Where the solutions, being united, act chemically and produce carbonio-acid gas, and, by means of said forcepumps, the gas thus generated, together with.

the solutions, is conducted through a hose and thrown upon the fire to be extinguished. Suppose, for instance, we put into the compartment A dilute sulphuric acid, and into the compartment E bicarbonate of soda in solution, and of such a consistency as will allow it to be pumped through the pipes P and P. Now, these chemicals, held separately, are entirely without chemical action, but when brought together they immediately evolve carbonic acid gas, which, being forced upon the lire, will aid greatly in extinguishing it. The commonyessel 1) may receive the solutions from two separate engines, instead ofthe two vessels A and E in one engine. rThe vessel D acts also as an air-chamber, or it may bc dispensed with and the solutions forced into a pipe or hose, say at N.

It is well-known that an atmosphere im pregnated with about a iifth part of carbonio-acid gas will at once extinguish lire, and the object of our invention is to produce and apply this gas in the most ready and effective manner.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The admixing of chemicals for producing c'arbonicacid gas, substantially as described, andvfor the purpose set forth.

2. The use of pumps, when they are employed for forcing upon the re chemical solutions which, when brought together, produce carbonic-.acid gas.

RUFUS LAPHAM. GEO. CLARK, JR. Vitnesses:

SAMUEL CoLEY, E. P. BUTLER. 

